Under which circumstance does Mendel's principle of independent assortment hold?
A) only when traits are tightly linked (close together) on the same chromosome
B) only when traits are on different chromosomes
C) only when there is crossing over
D) only when the traits are not influenced by selection

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Mendel's principle of independent assortment holds true only when traits are located on different chromosomes. When traits are located on the same chromosome and tightly linked, they are usually inherited together and do not assort independently. However, if the traits are far apart on the same chromosome, crossing over during meiosis can break the linkage and create new combinations of traits, allowing for some degree of independent assortment. Factors such as selection can also influence the inheritance of traits, but they do not affect the principle of independent assortment itself.

Under Which Circumstance Does Mendel's Principle of Independent Assortment Hold